Intertidal Fungi in Mauritian Mangroves

• Published in: Botanica marina Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 243 - 252
• Main Authors: Poonyth, A. D., Hyde, K. D., Peerally, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Walter de Gruyter 01.05.1999
• Subjects: Brackish; Freshwater; fungi; Marine; Mauritius; Rhizophora mucronata; ISW, Indian Ocean, Mauritius
• ISSN: 0006-8055
• DOI: 10.1515/BOT.1999.028

Intertidal wood and decaying Rhizophora mucronata prop roots were collected from five mangrove stands in Mauritius. The higher marine fungi on the samples were identified and their percentage occurrence noted. Sixty-seven fungi were recorded from the intertidal wood samples. Lulworthia species were the dominant fungi on wood at all of the study sites. Forty-eight fungi were identified from dead parts of Rhizophora mucronata prop roots. The dominant fungus on the prop roots at each study site differed. The fungal communities on prop roots were slightly different from those on intertidal wood. The ascomycetes were the dominant group at all study sites. The diversity and occurrence of fungi at each of the study sites are compared and discussed in relation to the prevailing environmental conditions. Most of the taxa reported in this study are new records for Mauritius.